Three Times Raising Lisa Paid Off
by SeaSpectre160
Summary: Or: Three Times The Waverider's Resident Crook Turned Out To Have Skills The Team Did Not Expect. Ninth in 'Long Way Home'.


**This whole thing started from wanting to write a scene with Snart holding a baby, and then it spiralled from there.**

 **I'm trying to hold off writing any fics in 'Long Way Home' set after 'Cycle of Death', including 'Vegas', until I've got a good idea of how to adapt next season to this series. I've already decided that the Flashpoint Paradox is NOT happening, so I need to know how it affects everything, and how in the hell Legion!Leonard Snart is going to happen so I can figure out if I can work a brainwashing/double agent angle into it or just leave him out of this series (the Legion itself will probably remain in 'Long Way Home').**

 **So, anyway, this is me coming up with stuff set within the bubble I've restricted myself to.**

 **Scene 1 is set during 'Night of the Hawk', Scene 2 in 'Last Refuge', and Scene 3 shortly after the end of 'Leviathan'.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I don't own Legends of Tomorrow.**

 **WORD COUNT: 2017**

* * *

Kendra huffed. She didn't know what was wrong with her, but her eyeliner was constantly smudging. And she had to meet Ray and head to the Savages' – sorry, the Knoxes' – house for eight. Of course, that was probably what was wrong with her. She was about to willingly walk into the home of the monster who'd killed her over two hundred times. Her hands were shaking so badly that she couldn't properly apply her makeup.

As she messed up again, Kendra sighed in defeat. Maybe she should just go without eyeliner. A noise behind her drew her attention to Snart, who'd been walking by the open door of her room. He was still in his grey FBI suit from earlier today, spinning the matching fedora in his hands. "Shouldn't you be at _home_?" he asked mockingly.

Kendra shrugged. "I forgot some of my makeup here. I'll be heading back to the house and meet up with Ray before going to visit Mr. and Mrs. 'Knox'."

"Right. Because you've got to look your best when heading into the lion's den." He paused. "I still can't believe Savage is _married_ , what with him chasing you all these years."

"She's probably just part of the image," Kendra dismissed, honestly feeling a bit sorry for the woman who didn't know what kind of monster she'd married, "I bet she has no idea who he really is."

"Or she's like those cultists we met in the seventies and is helping him voluntarily."

Kendra huffed. "Do you always have to assume the worst of people?"

"It's kept me alive all these years, so yes." He cocked his head to the side and observed her. "How long have you been _in_ here?"

Startled at first by his abrupt change of subject, Kendra huffed again and glared at the eyeliner in her hand. "I'm just having trouble getting this on without making a mess. You were right; I'm walking into _Vandal Savage's_ home, and my hands won't stop shaking."

Before she knew it, Snart had strode into her room, dropping his hat on the table and plucking the eyeliner applicator from her hand. "Turn into the light," he instructed her.

"What?"

He frowned impatiently and motioned for her to turn. Confused, she did so, and stayed still as the snarky world-class thief carefully applied the makeup to her face. When he was done, she turned to face the mirror and was surprised to see he'd done a perfect job of it. He slapped a tube of lipstick into her hand, said "I trust you don't need my help with this one." and turned to leave.

"Wait!" He paused in the doorway. "Where did you learn to do that?"

"Mostly trial and error. My sister was all thumbs with that stuff when she was a teenager, so I had to help her out where I could. Thankfully her hands have gotten steadier; God knows I couldn't manage doing a grown woman's makeup _every morning_." The 'don't ask me to do this again' was obvious in his tone.

* * *

"Mr. Jackson, you're not supporting his head properly," the stern, British woman chided, "See? Watch how I do it with you."

Jax was honestly doing his best to imitate the way the woman was holding his baby self, and no, he still wasn't over how weird that was, but the squalling infant that would grow up to be Leonard 'Captain Cold' Snart did not seem to be pleased with his attempts.

The nineteen-year-old version of Sara, who was easily cradling Baby Gray (still wrapped in the car blanket), chimed in. "You have to put your hand so that his head is right in the middle of your palm." Baby Gray started making little whiny noises, though, and she immediately switched her attention back to cooing him reassuringly.

Jax adjusted his grip a bit, but it still felt like the kid would drop if he squirmed too much.

"You're going to give me brain damage if you keep doing it like that," Snart – the adult version – snapped from the doorway. Mick hovered behind him, but said nothing. "Has anyone _ever_ taught you how to hold a baby?"

"Uh… no." It wasn't like he'd never _seen_ babies before, but the youngest kids he'd ever actually dealt with had been four at the oldest, and perfectly capable of supporting their own heads.

Snart huffed. "Figures." He walked further into the room, held out his arms, and gestured for Jax to hand him the baby.

"That may not be the best-" the woman, Ms. Xavier, began to protest.

"Paradox prevention, I know," the thief interrupted, still looking at Jax expectantly, "Rip gave us the whole spiel. But that's only if I do something that could hurt my younger self, right? 'Cause that's looking to be a lot more likely to happen if Butterfingers over here is the one holding me." Jax could imagine him internally wincing at how awkward that phrase could sound out of context.

As if on cue, Baby Snart started wailing even louder, and Jax made the snap decision to hand him over. "If you can get him quiet, it's fine with me."

Snart immediately took the infant into his own arms and cradled him close to his chest. "First off, kid, support the head, like the ladies were telling you." Already Baby Snart was quieting. "Second, don't hold him so far away from you. Don't act like you're allergic to him, or something."

Jax frowned. "I saw him spit up on Mini-Rory earlier. If you wanna get baby puke on your shirt, that's on you."

"That's what happens with babies; all it takes to fix the mess is to change my shirt. If a baby were to fall through the gap between your arms and your chest, well, that usually results in something that _can't_ be fixed."

"You sound as if you have some experience with children," Ms. Xavier commented, looking much calmer now that it was obvious Snart knew what he was doing.

"Hospital staff aside, I was the second person to hold my baby sister, after our mother. I swear, I changed more of Lisa's diapers than her and Dad combined." He glanced up sharply at them all. "Something you'll repeat to _no one_."

* * *

"Pippa?"

"Pippa?"

"PIPPA!"

Leonard frowned as he heard the calls upon approaching the Waverider after dropping Cassie off at the rebel camp. "Who's Pippa?" he asked Kendra, who was the first person he encountered.

The young woman chewed her lip. "She was one of the refugees. No one can find her. In the chaos of getting people on and off the ship, it took us a while to notice she was missing, but one of the other kids swears she was on the Waverider, so we know she wasn't left behind."

Leonard's frown deepened. "How old?"

"Seven. She's got long, curly black hair and was wearing a green coat."

Both split off, Leonard heading for the storage room where most of the refugees had gathered after the Leviathan had attacked. He caught Ray just as the other man was walking out. "Did you find her?" Ray asked.

Leonard rolled his eyes. "Yes, but she's turned invisible, so you can't see her standing beside me." He pushed past Ray into the room.

"I already checked there," the scientist pointed out.

"Yes, but one time you tore the Waverider apart looking for your cell phone, and passed by it at least twelve times while doing so." Leonard had very little faith in his teammate's searching abilities, even if they were talking about something markedly larger than a cell phone.

The room in question had several small nooks and crannies that no adult could fit in, but a half-starved, skinny seven-year-old could hide in there just fine. Sure enough, when he peered under one shelf and behind a stack of crates, he was greeted by a pair of frightened green eyes peering back out at him.

"Hey, Pippa," he greeted her softly, doing his best not to scare her, "This is a pretty cool hiding place." Pippa shrank back a little bit further, and he tried to put that reassuring note in his voice that always worked when Lisa had a nightmare or a bad encounter with their father. "But you don't have to hide anymore. It's safe to come out, now." He took in the little girl's appearance. Her clothes and face were smeared with soot, dirt, and dried blood, the latter courtesy of a freshly-busted lip.

Pippa stared at him, edging hesitantly in his direction. Slowly, she crawled out from behind the crate, and when she emerged, Leonard could see fresh blood on her torn stockings.

"Did you hurt your leg?" he asked.

Pippa nodded tearfully. "I hit a big box," she whispered. She must have been referring to when the Leviathan had thrown the ship, and they'd all been rattled around inside.

"Can I see?" The little girl hesitated, but then tugged her ragged skirt up to let him see her right leg. Leonard found a long cut on her outer thigh, the source of all the blood. It actually wasn't bleeding too badly anymore, but there was still the potential risk of infection. "Okay, this looks like it needs a doctor to look at it. Do you want me to carry you there, or would you like it if I brought a doctor here?"

He could see Pippa thinking over her options, then she made up her mind and raised her arms up, silently asking him to pick her up. Taking mind of her leg, Leonard carefully scooped the little child up in his arms and slowly made his way out of the ship, doing his best not to jostle her. Stein was the first person he spotted when he got to the rebel camp, and he carried Pippa over to him.

"Mr. Snart!" The white-haired professor smiled warmly at the child. "I see you found our missing refugee!" He motioned for Leonard to set her down on a crate that was serving as his patient bench, and the thief did so, but when Stein reached to treat her leg, she shrank back.

Leonard remembered taking Lisa to the doctor for the first time. "It's okay, Pippa, this is a friend of mine. He's just going to help fix your leg, okay?"

Pippa eventually agreed to let Stein treat her, but she had her little fists clenched in Leonard's jacket the whole time. Raymond beamed when he passed by and remarked at how cute the two looked together. The death glare Leonard sent him wiped the smile off his face. Sara and Kendra were clearly of the same mind, if their faces were anything to go by, but they at least kept their opinions to themselves. Stein chatted to Pippa about this and that as he worked, making her more comfortable in his presence.

Eventually Pippa was all fixed up and sent off to join the other children, who were all crowded around Jax as he passed out chocolate bars. Stein continued talking as he packed up his First Aid kit. "I'm surprised, Mr. Snart. I never expected you to have such skill with children."

Leonard looked up, surprised. "I wouldn't call it a skill. I've just spent years taking care of my sister, so I know how to handle scared kids when I need to."

He was interrupted when Pippa limped back to him, a half-wrapped chocolate bar in her hand. Without waiting for an invitation, she clumsily climbed back onto the crate, sat herself down on Leonard's lap, and broke off a piece before silently offering it to him.

THE END

* * *

 **I'll be honest, after Rip goes on about how they should interact with they younger selves as little as possible, I was surprised to see his 'Mother' having no issues with Len holding the infant version of himself in that brief shot in 'Last Refuge'. So I figured there must be a reason why she's allowing it when Jax's hands are free. The 'Len does the girls' hair/makeup' thing has been done in other fics, but I figured I'd still give it a whirl. This was originally going to have 5 scenes, but I couldn't think of what to do for the other 2.**


End file.
